Abstract
The Amazon Basin’s underused biodiversity can transform fragile food systems into resilient and circular ones. This Perspective explores how Amazonian biodiversity could serve as a foundation for sustainable food-system transitions through circular bioeconomy strategies, biodiversity-based food innovations, and inclusive governance models. Fruits, oilseeds, insects, and stingless bee honeys provide essential nutrients and bioactive compounds while supporting circular value chains with potential to reduce post-harvest losses, restore ecosystems, and diversify diets. Realising this potential requires green procurement policies, inclusive research and development (R&D), and participatory governance involving Indigenous and local communities. Guided by circular economy principles, Amazonian bioresources may generate significant nutritional, ecological, and economic benefits for future global food systems.
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The authors acknowledge the Office of the Dean of Research at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) for its institutional support during the preparation of this manuscript.
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Alvarez-Suarez, J.M., Balslev, H. Harnessing Amazonian biodiversity for sustainable and circular food systems.
npj Sci Food (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-026-01116-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-026-01116-8
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